The Bicycle Book: Wit, Wisdom & Wanderings [Paperback]

Thomas Hylton (Author), Chip Haynes (Author), Theresa Russell (Author), John Stuart Clark (Author), Gianna Bellofatto Reid (Author), Jim Joyce (Editor), Bob Lafay (Illustrator), Jonny Hawkins (Illustrator), Neal Skorpen (Illustrator), Andy Singer (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 23, 2007

The Bicycle Book: Wit, Wisdom and Wanderings is a celebration of the bicycle by people who ride. . .a tribute to one of the finest, most efficient, most useful machines ever invented. The 25 contributors are talented writers and cartoonists, each with a unique take on bicycling. Whether in critical observation, concern, memorial, fact, or in jest, each story and cartoon is definitely worth a look. You do not have to be a cycling expert to read this book; there is something here for everyone. <P>Contributions from around the globe include an essay from Pulitzer Prize winner Thomas Hylton; predictions for the future of cycling from Dirt Rag publisher Maurice Tierney and Richard Fries, publisher of Bike Culture; an exclusive interview with Chris Carmichael (long time coach of Lance Armstrong); several essays from Pulitzer Prize nominee Gianna Bellofatto. Other contributors are Portland Magazine executive editor (and former New Yorker staffer) Ted Katauskas; Mason St. Clair; author Theresa Russell; and Andy (Ask the Mechanic) Wallen. Scattered throughout the book is a collection of cartoons from cartoonists whose work has appeared in a wide array of magazines including The New Yorker, Esquire, The Progressive, Dirt Rag, Oregon Cycling, The Funny Times, Discover, Guideposts, Reader's Digest, and Forbes. Contributing cartoonists include Bob Lafay, Neal Skorpen, Jonny Hawkins, Andy Singer, Bob LaDrew, and many others.
Also available for Kindle.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This is the book that belongs on every cyclist's coffee table. The laugh-out-loud comics weaved between articles about cycling's bests makes flipping through this book addictive. It reads like an early season's ride; with each crank of a page, you will be reminded of why you absolutely love cycling. Flip through and see for yourself. --Nancy Henderson, Nationals Level Triathlete Fat Rabbit Race and Countryside Cycling Racing

Cartoons are among my dearest friends. They make me laugh, they make me think, and they make me money. So I am glad to see the guys hard at work in The Bicycle Book: Wit, Wisdom and Wanderings, even if none of them are working for me. Chapeau to Andy Singer, Neal Skorpen and the rest of my fellow scribblers included here, and to Jim Joyce for bringing them all together. --Patrick O'Grady, cartoonist for VeloNews and Bicycle Retailer & Industry News

This is a book for people who love cycling. And although I had a few suspicions at first, I must finally have become a real cyclist, because I enjoyed this book. . . . It's the sort of book that you leave lying around and dip into from time to time. For avid cyclists, it's a worthwhile read. --Densie Wrathall, Momentum Magazine

About the Author

The Bicycle Book: Wit, Wisdom and Wanderings is the brainchild of Jim Joyce, founder of the website, The Bicycle Exchange, a.k.a., Bikexchange.com. He also contributes several articles to the book.

Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: Satya House Publications; First Edition edition (November 23, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972919155
• ISBN-13: 978-0972919159
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #283,089 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Engaging reflections on cycling, November 21, 2007

By 

StdPudel (Somerville, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Bicycle Book: Wit, Wisdom & Wanderings (Paperback)

This deceptively slim volume would make a great gift for any avid cyclist. Judging from the essays in The Bicycle Book, some introspection is inevitable over the miles. Any cyclist is bound to find at least one kindred spirit among the dozen or so men and women who lend their voices to this collection.

At this point in my life my bicycling is more theoretical than actual, but this book vividly recalled to me how liberating my bike was for me and of the times I appreciated choosing it over the car. The cyclists in this book are an unpretentious, scruffy bunch who are passionate about bikes and biking. Collectively they make it clear you don't need the latest 36-speed bike and lurid spandex outfit to be counted among their ranks - any bike will do as long as you love it and love riding it.

The Bicycle Book is divided into three sections, as the subtitle suggests. The third section, "Wanderings" is the longest and my favorite. I enjoyed journeying in spirit with each essayist. Because of the self-contained nature of each essay, it makes great bedtime reading: low stress and lots of logical stopping points.

I recommend this book for cycling enthusiasts of all denominations. As a nice touch, the author is donating 15% of his proceeds to three charities, including Soldier Ride, an adaptive cycling program for wounded soldiers.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Bit of Reality: Actually Quite Bad, April 24, 2010

By 

J. Blilie "Naturalist-Skeptic" (Twin Cities, MN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Bicycle Book: Wit, Wisdom & Wanderings (Paperback)

I am an enthusiastic bicyclist and reader. I've ridden a bike around the world for two years, self-supporting (OK, the two of us did use airplanes and boats between the bits of rideable land.) I used to commute to work by bike (no longer practical with kids). I've built my bikes up from bare frames. I build my own wheels. I've had a custom bike built for me. Riding is my exercise of choice, weather permitting. I've read hundreds of non-fiction books, quite a few of them about cycling and/or travel. Who knows how many thousands of miles I've put under my wheels. I enjoy watching the Tour de France. Enough on credentials.

I did not like this book. I thought I would; the other reviews certainly pointed that way. I kept flipping ahead, seeing if anything enjoyable would come along. The next-to-last article was the only one I found fairly worthwhile: A travelogue of a couple's trip across the USA. (But they were so concerned about putting miles under the wheels, it seemed like it was just a trial, a stunt, to them, with no enjoyment (for the reader either.) Did they see anything besides their handlebars?

This is all "inside baseball." It's all inside jokes (wit), inside signals and navel-gazing (wisdom). If you are not a serious bicycling enthusiast (and even then) I doubt you would find much of interest here. This is what happens when the local bike club decides to self-publish. Amateurish throughout. Just not very interesting to read. Reads like webpage entries: choppy, disconnected, which I think the great bulk of the book was originally.

All in all, I wish I'd spent the $11 on a couple of beers down the pub instead.

Or spend your money on these excellent alternatives:
Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bicycle (classic)
Miles from Nowhere: A Round the World Bicycle Adventure (still reads well)
Jupiters Travels: Four Years Around the World on a Triumph (A true classic of travel writing, a bucket-list book; ignore the motor)
One Man Caravan ("Incredible Journeys" Books) (A classic, ignore the motor)

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "The Bicycle Book" by Jim Joyce, May 16, 2008

By 

Diana Bitritto "Diana B., RN, Diva Nurse" (North Bergen, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Bicycle Book: Wit, Wisdom & Wanderings (Paperback)

This book is one of the best $14.95 investments I've ever made, full of wonderful essays and cartoons, such as:

--John Stuart Clark, a Scotsman who describes riding through a violent storm in Wyoming and then his adventures riding with his wife through the Sahara.

--Ella Lawrence's observations of the various multinational fans attending the Amstel Gold Bike Race in the Netherlands.

--Gianna Bellofatto's "Life is a Bike" series on life, love, and bicycling.

--Rhona & Dave Fritsch's account of their 3710-mile cross-country tandem journey from Washington State to Ocean City, NJ.

The Delaware County Bicycle Club's "Bonkers" cartoon character's two-wheeled adventures (and misadventures).

"The Bicycle Book: Wit, Wisdom & Wanderings" is a must for any bicyclist's library!